Give to UCLA Undergraduate Research

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Give to UCLA Undergraduate Research

UCLA undergraduates recognize that a substantive research experience will do more than provide an intellectual challenge—they know a meaningful research opportunity can open up a whole new understanding of the world. The Undergraduate Research Centers (URCs) at UCLA make it their mission to match students and faculty on original research projects in the STEM sciences and the humanities, arts and social sciences.

The URCs connect students to faculty, scholarship support, research journal clubs, academic conferences, and mentorship throughout the academic year and during summer quarter. We are reaching out to you to help us reach our campaign goal of $100,000, which will help sustain the vibrancy of the URC programs for the future.

For context, the cost of various resources students will seek at the URCs are shown below:

Please consider making your tax-deductible gift during Undergraduate Research Week, May 21-25. You can also help by telling your family and friends about our campaign and by sharing this link on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

For one week every year, the URCs hold a showcase for students’ undergraduate research and creative projects. At this campuswide event, students from every major present their work to fellow students, alumni, faculty, parents and the broader community. Undergraduate Research Week is an incredibly meaningful time to demonstrate your support, and gives us many more opportunities to celebrate your gift.

Undergraduates in research at UCLA describe their experience as:

“Amazing to see the breadth of research happening; next to me someone was researching ancient Chinese poetry, I was looking at gene regulation, and the person on the other side was researching the psychology of social hierarchy.”

“Decoding and breaking down [my research] in everyday lingo …helped me realize how much I had learned over the years!”

“It was amazing to see all the work that had gone into everyone's projects! I think everyone should be required to attend Undergraduate Research Week!”

Through your giving and support you can have a front-row seat to exciting research topics by talented students including:

Anakaren Andrade, who researched the health and social impacts of urban oil drilling on residents of Wilmington, CA, and uncovered a whole new area of study through her project: “I didn’t know before coming to college that fracking was…so prevalent. But after investigating it more you realize how close they are to residents.” The research Ankara produced as an undergraduate helped to encourage LA City Council President Herb Wesson to introduce a motion directing the city to further study the creation of a buffer zone between drilling sites and residential areas.

Shanya Norman, a digital humanities major who helped her research project on the little-known history of African Americans’ silent films become a full-fledged museum exhibit. Shanya found that creating a searchable database from her research was a supremely important component of the project because “so much of the data has been lost or damaged, is not in any history textbooks in our educational system, and is not easily searchable.”

UCLA is one of the only tier-1 research institutions with centers dedicated to undergraduate research in the sciences AND the arts, humanities and social sciences. Studies show that undergraduate research greatly enhances the overall undergraduate experience in the following ways:

Increases retention

Promotes analytical/critical thinking/organizational skills

Sparks intellectual creativity and self-confidence

Develops persuasive communication and presentation skills

Helps students choose a field of study for their undergraduate career

Promotes graduate school enrollment

Every year more and more students contact the URC seeking scholarships, mentorship, peer support, academic assistance and career guidance. The URC needs your help to provide every interested student with invaluable research opportunities and the support to see them through. Please join us in helping today’s talented students become the visionaries of tomorrow by making a gift to support undergraduate research.

Our way

of Thanking You

$8

Observer

You see how UCLA undergraduate research is part of the fabric of our world class education and want to join the community. Our Dean’s Prize Winners will welcome you with an 8-clap salute.

$25

Theorist

Join our undergraduate researchers as they develop a set of abstract ideas about a particular subject in order to explain it, they’ll recognize your gift with a thank you photo on Instagram #bruinresearch

$250

Author

$500

Trailblazer

As a person who leaves a path for others to follow, your gift creates awareness of students cost to present their research. Next time you’re on the UCLA campus- parking is on us! (tax deductible donation of $490)

$1,000

Innovator

UCLA is unique in that it offers The Undergraduate Research Center for Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences that promotes, develops and celebrates preparing students for careers in all areas. Expect a UCLA branded tote and to be recognized at the annual awards reception. (tax deductible donation of $985)

$2,500

Benefactor

Did you know over 300 of our undergraduate researchers are scholarship recipients? Your gift is making scholarships possible. The URC directors will send you a personal thank you along with a UCLA branded notepad. (tax deductible donation of $2,490.41)

$3,500

Experimentalist

Summer research fellowships are one of the jewels of UCLA undergraduate research and it is our esteemed faculty that provide these once in a lifetime opportunities. Plan on a note from faculty and adding a UCLA branded silver medallion padholder to your swag collection. (tax deductible donation of $3,473)

$5,000

Visionary

Vice-Provost and Dean of the College of Letters and Sciences Patricia Turner would like to specially thank you for joining her Deans Circle in support of connecting student researchers with mentors. You will receive a personal note and exclusive student research artistic postcard set. (tax deductible donation of $4,990)

$10,000

Excellence in Research Award

And the winner is…YOU. Your gift means the Undergraduate Research Centers will have necessary resources to meet UCLA student researchers need for scholarships, mentorship, peer support, and career guidance. Lunch with the team is on us! (tax deductible donation of $9,975)